Fabaceae / Papilionaceae

Salvadoraceae
Salvadora persica L.
(Syn: Salvadora wightiana Planch ex Thwaites)
English name: Tooth brush tree.
Local name: Khabbar, Pilu, Darakht-i-miswak
Description:
A small evergreen shrub to tree reaching a height of 2-6 m. Its trunk is erect,
profusely branched, glabrous with drooping branches. Young branches green in
color and bark slightly rough whitish yellow to almost white but on stem somewhat grey
and rugose. Ripe fruits bright red.
Flowering Period:
November - March.
Habitat:
Mostly found in saline areas.
Uses:
Its roots and branches are commonly used as tooth
brush. Its fruit is sweet but slightly pungent and peppery
in taste, eaten as raw, cooked, or dried and stored. Young
branches are favorite fodder for camels. Decoction of
leaves is used for mouth wash and masticated leaves for
tooth and gum problems. Seeds are used as tonic and
seed oil is used on the skin for rheumatism.
Distribution:
Widely distributed in drier parts of Pakistan, Arabia,
Palestine, Syria and Africa.
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